The smart city app is currently being tested at the expo's site project office, and will run on Siemens’ open, cloud-based operating system for IoT, called Mind Sphere.

According to Construction Week, the app has been designed and developed within the Mind Sphere ecosystem. It will be implemented upon the completion of overall infrastructure works for the project, when it will connect, monitor, and control more than 130 buildings at the 438ha site.

According to a statement by Siemens, the app has been designed to enhance visitor experience, and reduce energy and water during the six-month event, which will run from 20 October, 2020 to 10 April, 2021.

The app will collect, monitor, correlate and analyse data from the site, and visualise it to allow real-time monitoring and control of infrastructure from static and mobile devices, in addition to its initial operations across environmental monitoring and irrigation.

Speaking about the app, chief operating officer and chief technology officer at Siemens, Dr Roland Busch, said: “This new digital application will support Expo 2020 Dubai in becoming the most connected world fair in history [and is] a great step forward as we continue to explore how digitalisation and IoT technologies can address urban challenges.”